Confusion and Then Rampage

You never know what life will throw at you.

Sure, things had causes, but recognizing them in advance was beyond mortal

capability.

I guess what I'm getting at is… we ran into a problem.

"I'm really sorry to bother you when you're busy."

Five days after Van's party came to the shop, Megria, the Adventurers Guild

receptionist, came by the store. She stared at her shoes apologetically as she stood

there in her uniform.

Yarandrala, Danan, Tisse, Rit, and I were there. Ruti was working at the plantation.

"We'd really appreciate it if Ms. Ruti and Ms. Tisse would take on a quest to handle

some seabogeys discovered on the coast…"

"I see. You certainly can't let that problem sit."

Seabogeys were devilish things that came from the ocean. They resembled male

humans wearing hats, but what appeared to be their heads were actually camouflage.

Their real faces were on their stomachs. Seabogeys radiated an aura of terror that

manipulated minds, and they stole life essence from terrified victims to strengthen

themselves.

Dealing with them without a way to resist their influence was extremely difficult,

making the monsters dangerous for weak adventurers, even a mob of them.

That's why seabogeys were known as low-level killers.

The creatures could threaten entire settlements. Seabogeys were a variant of

bogeymen, monsters that ate children, meaning they weren't the sort to raze villages,

but their inclinations were hardly preferable.

There was no logic to it. It was difficult to find a biological reason for why they

consumed kids. Whatever the explanation, seabogeys only stuffed human children

into the big, black mouths that split open their torsos. It was as if they were born from

malice and meant to torture humans specifically.

For all that, an experienced bunch of C rankers should have been able to handle them.

"Everyone is out on quests, so there's no one left who can go right now."

In an unexpected way, Van had caused this.

He'd spread a lot of money around hiring people to move the beached Vendidad. And

thanks to that shift in the economy, lots of organizations had had the capital to file a

bunch of quests to handle issues they'd been putting off. Zoltan's more talented

adventurers had taken all those jobs and were presently away from the town.

Plus, Van's leveling had wiped out the monsters at the top of the food chain in the

south seas, which was likely what had caused the seabogeys to migrate.

Undoubtedly, that hadn't been Van's intention, but that's how things had shaken out.

"I understand someone needs to take the quest, but…"

The problem was who would go.

Any of us could handle it alone. But considering Van's presence, I didn't want to be

away from Zoltan for long. Rit and I were needed to negotiate with Lavender and Van.

Yarandrala's ability to control plants was necessary for keeping tabs on the Hero's

party. Tisse maintained lines of retreat in the event of a fight and kept in contact with

Esta. Danan was our strongest fighter, so even if he didn't have anything to do at

present, he needed to be ready at a moment's notice. And we couldn't let Ruti do

anything to draw attention. Van finding her was the worst-case scenario.

In which case…

I glanced at the spider on Tisse's shoulder. Mister Crawly Wawly hopped up as if to

say, "Leave it to me."

"No, that's a little too…"

He was a reliable spider, and he'd probably be able to endure the seabogeys' terror

aura, but a swarm of the monsters posed a threat to a lone C-rank adventurer.

But Mister Crawly Wawly might just be able to…

"A group of goblins would be one thing, but Mister Crawly Wawly can't handle a bunch

of seabogeys," Tisse stated.

Mister Crawly Wawly slumped dejectedly.

So he can beat a group of goblins, huh?

"The only option is for me to handle this swiftly," Tisse added, volunteering herself.

Her leaving was worrisome, but with things more or less settled with Van for the

moment, letting Tisse go was probably the best choice…

"Wait…" I reviewed an idea that popped into my head.

Will that work?

"I think Rit, Danan, and I should take this quest."

"Rit the hero is going?!" Megria exclaimed.

"Yeah, this is a special exception," I replied.

"Thank you so much! Thank goodness!"

Megria smiled, sighing with relief before leaving with a polite bow.

"Sorry for deciding that without asking, but would the two of you give me a hand?"

"Of course. It'll be nice to cut loose, even if it's against some chaff monsters," Danan

said.

"I've got no complaints, but what about Van?" Rit's question was understandable.

I took a deep breath. "The truth is, I think we should invite Van and fight these

monsters with him."

""What?!""

"Are you serious? You're telling me I have to work with that asshole?!"

"You only have two more chances at negotiating with Van, right? Is it really okay to use

one for this?"

"And Van will prioritize killing monsters and raising his level over saving people. Who

knows what sort of problem that might cause?"

Danan, Yarandrala, and Tisse were all clearly concerned.

"What do you think, Rit?" I inquired.

She'd been deep in thought from the moment I'd raised the idea.

"Hmmm… I've been talking with Lavender every day since the meeting in the shop. It

feels like I'm just one push away, but I need some kind of opening… Showing her the

relationship I have with Red will reach her better than words."

"Do you think you can get Lavender to agree to come hunt seabogeys with us?" I asked.

"If Van says he'll go, Lavender will come. And I don't think she'll get in the way of the

job itself."

"But she will try to stop me from talking to Van, I guess."

"Yeah. I hoped to get her to promise not to interfere with that, but I haven't made much

progress with her on that front."

"Oh well. Van and Lavender are difficult people, so this was never going to be easy.

We'll just have to do our best to get the quest done."

If conversation alone wasn't enough to convince the Hero, then there was no choice

but to change the setting to create an opening.

This promised to be another ad-lib negotiation.

"If the two mediators are fine with it, then I'm not gonna object. And you're gonna

bring me along, too, in case anything happens, right? I don't like the idea of working

with that jerk, but I'll suck it up." Danan grinned.

He always knew his best course of action. Knowing we had the ultimate Martial Artist

on our side was part of why I felt confident using such a bold tactic.

"We'll need to stay on guard against Van while fighting monsters. I'll be counting on

you," I said.

Danan nodded. "Just leave it to me."

Okay. Our enemy is a swarm of dangerous monsters, so we'd best prepare.

Two hours later, on the road headed south.

"Get along now, move it!"

The stable boy gripping the reins called out, but the donkey pulling the cart didn't even

pretend to make an effort as it slowly trudged along the narrow road. The cart was

loaded with fish and coconuts.

This trail linked Zoltan with a fishing village on the coast. Unlike the western road,

which led toward the continent's center, this path was narrow and poorly maintained.

It only consisted of gravel; there was no stone paving.

"Clearing the way for that dingy cart? You're too nice, Van!" Lavender said when the

Hero stepped into a puddle to move aside for the donkey-drawn wagon.

If the choice was between moving a cart or moving a few people, the answer was

obvious. It wasn't about being kind, it was merely basic judgment.

Lavender would never accept that sort of reasoning, though, so I didn't waste my

breath.

"We'll be there soon; you should get ready to fight."

"I'm always ready. The Hero is ever-prepared to fight."

Van responded to my warning with a cheerful tone. His voice didn't sound like that of

someone about to enter combat, but that was Van the Hero for you. To him, battle

wasn't something that required changing to a special mindset; it was his normal.

Blessing impulses didn't care what sort of situation the person was in, so perhaps God

wanted people to be like Van. However, I preferred how Ruti was a little more careless

when we weren't in a fight.

Those imperfections were how Ruti the Hero's personality shone through. That was

all she'd had before she was freed from her blessing. Did that mean this was the real

Van?

A Hero who was 100 percent subservient to the Hero's urges?

Powerful impulses wouldn't affect someone never at odds with their blessing.

However, I didn't really know Van as a person well enough to understand who he had

been before his blessing awakened.

"I see them," Van announced.

A line of dark figures walked along the beach, an ominous procession of tall, hunchedover bodies. Their legs dragged as they trudged through the sand.

"The seabogeys."

"So you and I will fight up front, right, Gideon?"

"Yeah, Rit and Lavender will support us with magic, and Danan can take care of any

that try to escape. Letting any get away will be bad."

"I'd rather let loose and go wild a bit, but if that's what I'm supposed to do, then you

can count on me."

There was no need to worry about missing one with Danan on cleanup, leaving us free

to focus on the immediate threats.

I needed to land some shots on Van's worldview while also taking care of the monsters.

Danan would be crucial if this turned into a fight with Van and Lavender, but he was

also here so I could focus on speaking with Van.

I drew my weapon.

"Why a bronze sword?" Van questioned.

His sword was a replica of Ruti's Holy Demon Slayer. It had been crafted only recently,

so it lacked history, but its blade was as keen as any legendary ancient weapon's.

My bronze sword couldn't begin to compare.

"When I left the party, I returned my gear. I didn't need it since I was withdrawing from

the battle to save the world."

"But even so, we all have to fight so long as we live, don't we?"

"That's true. Which is why I carry this bronze sword."

"Ummm…"

Van looked like he sort of understood, yet also didn't.

Unlike his exchanges with Esta, this was a discussion about a blessing other than that

of the Hero. Van had absolute confidence when it came to his blessing, but there were

many things he didn't understand about other people's. His belief in remaining

obedient to Divine Blessings meant he couldn't comment on other people acting in

accordance with theirs.

So it should be more effective talking to him about the Guide than about the Hero.

"Okay, I'll take the right, you handle the left, Van."

"Yes, sir!"

We started running, tearing into the seabogey swarm from both sides.

""Wah-hah-hah-hah-hah.""

The seabogeys made a sound like human laughter. The eerie voices didn't possess a

magical effect, but they'd terrify any normal villagers who tried to exterminate the

monsters.

And fear gave the seabogeys strength.

"With his blessing, Van won't feel scared, so no need to worry there."

The seabogeys were more intelligent than most creatures, but not as clever as people.

Ordinarily, they didn't employ high-level tactics in battle.

"Phantom Pain."

"Circle of Fear."

"Horror."

They cast a sequence of psychic magic.

Seabogeys tended to possess the Sorcerer blessing more than most others. Around

one in three had it, enabling them to wield a variety of spells. In particular, they

favored magic that afflicted the mind to induce fear or agony.

They used those spells outside of battle, too—on the children they kidnapped.

According to a monster scholar, seabogeys enjoyed eating children more when their

victims were crying in pain and terror. It just went to show that there were evil

monsters in this world that had to be slain and could not be tolerated peacefully.

"Spirit of spring, blow the horn of snowmelt! Sowing Horn!"

A trumpeting sound echoed across the beach. Rit had cast some spirit magic to raise

morale and counter fear. Because seabogeys converted terror into energy, the spell

also caused them to falter.

"The Phantom Pain will linger, but that much won't be a problem."

"This sort of magic is useless against the Hero!"

Phantom Pain was a subtle spell that dulled one's movements by inflicting an illusory

ache. It felt like being pricked with a needle, but it didn't cause a physical wound.

""Hahhh!""

""Wah-hah! Hah-hah! Wah-hah-hah!""

The seabogeys went down in droves, all while laughing eerily.

"These aren't difficult opponents, but the Hero shall defeat any evil!"

That was the Hero for you.

The seabogeys slashed at Van with their claws, but he cut the monsters down one after

the other, each one felled by a precise strike to a vital point.

The Enhanced Critical Hits and Advanced Weapon Proficiency skills, huh?

One made vitals visible, even on nonhumanoid opponents, and the other made Van's

blade accurate enough to hit those targets. While each attack was swift, precise, and

powerful, there was no intent behind them. Van's sword gave the impression that its

wielder was merely repeating a set motion. There was no spirit in any of it, no actual

desire to slay the enemy.

"So that's it."

Some warriors could lose themselves in their bladework, but this was something

different. Van's motions were mechanical.

A sword brandished by a blessing, I guess you could call it.

"Wah-hah-hah."

"Whoa there, I'm not going to let you get a hit."

I dodged a seabogey's claws and then cut it down with a single counterstrike. I

followed up by slashing the one behind me, then backed off a step to avoid the claws

of a seabogey that stepped over the first one's corpse, finally attacking it when it was

off-balance.

Meanwhile, Van was…

Hmmm…

I assumed a low stance with my sword and then ran forward.

"…!"

A seabogey had bitten Van's left arm. But his expression remained completely

unchanged as he stabbed it. It was a lethal blow, but it left a slight opening while he

pulled his blade free. A deep thrust was a poor choice of attack when one was dealing

with a large number of enemies.

The group of seabogeys around Van charged in when he stopped moving, and I leaped

to his side, cutting down three of the monsters in quick succession.

"You don't need to worry about me, Gideon."

"I see that you fight with the intent to use Healing Hands later. Is that because you

don't defend or can't defend?"

"I just battle at full strength, no matter the enemy!"

We stood back-to-back while dealing with the seabogeys trying to surround us.

"Against inferior opponents, you shouldn't fight in a way that assumes taking damage!"

Our swords both flashed, and seabogey blood stained the sand.

"Never hold back when facing evil! That is how the Hero battles!"

"Holding back is something reserved for taking it easy. It's not the same as adapting

your tactics to suit the opponent."

Only ten seabogeys remained from the initial horde.

"How many did you kill?" I questioned.

"Huh?"

"You don't even know how many you've felled?"

"Is there a reason to keep track?" Van cocked his head in confusion. "The Hero must

defeat wickedness. Be it one, one thousand, or one million enemies, I will keep fighting

so long as evil persists."

"You're weak, Van."

"I do not desire strength. God made the Hero to be the mightiest blessing, and I intend

to raise my level and become more powerful than anyone."

"There were forty-five seabogeys at the start. I took care of twenty-four, you got

seventeen, Danan two, and Rit one."

"…What of it?"

Van finished the last of the seabogeys.

That's the quest complete.

"Who defeated the most enemies is a simple method for determining who had the

most important role in battle. Despite the Hero blessing's incredible power, you slew

fewer seabogeys than I did."

"That's…"

"If you think the Hero is a special blessing, then you'll need to work to rectify that

disparity."

Van sheathed his blade and fell silent.

Esta wouldn't say something like this to him.

The Hero meant too much to Esta, perhaps because she'd met Ruti only after she'd

grown strong. However, I had known Ruti before she was powerful. My sister hadn't

always been effortlessly strong. She'd worked hard for that might.

In that sense, Van, who relied on the power of his blessing, was weaker than Ruti. His

sword paid no mind to what manner of enemy stood against it, preferring to assert its

strength. Van was able to fight so recklessly because of Healing Hands, the Hero's

unique skill. Yet if he ever encountered a situation where Healing Hands wasn't

enough, it would be the end for him.

Simply telling him that wasn't enough, though. His absolute faith in blessings would

keep him from accepting it. He believed that the strength given by blessings was

everything. If he lost despite relying on that, then it was just God's will.

Instead, I tried using myself as a comparison.

"The Guide is a blessing to lead the Hero. You could say that the Hero isn't complete

until they can surpass me in every way. That's what I think, at least. What do you think,

Van?"

"…Mm, I believe you may be right."

His ideology left him unable to deny the relationship between the Hero and the Guide.

For the first time in a long while, perhaps ever, Van considered how he'd been fighting.

"Van!!!"

Whoops, looks like someone's here to get in the way.

Lavender came zooming in, clinging to Van's cheek while glaring venomously at me.

Her eyes were filled with murder. If Rit hadn't been there, it might have actually

become a fight.

"I was just stating the facts." I shrugged with a smile.

Had I been discussing philosophies, Lavender would have openly rejected me right

away, but she couldn't deny reality.

This fairy is wiser than I thought.

From her look, I gleaned that she understood the problems with Van's fighting. She

recognized his weaknesses, yet was fine with how the boy was. A lover so willing to

accept anything and everything could ruin someone.

"What?" Lavender demanded, perhaps noticing my attention lingering on her.

"Nothing, nothing," I replied. "More importantly, I didn't see you giving much support."

"I did too!"

Lavender had used a couple of spells, like Tailwind, to support Van's movement and

Thunder Stomp to send a shock wave through the ground and topple an enemy for

Van. However, each bit of magic had been elementary, hardly the limit for someone

who put Danan and Rit on guard.

"Your timing was great, and you were really helpful, Lavender."

"Awww, thank you, Van!" She kissed Van's cheek.

Lavender's nature leaned heavily toward destruction; she had to be better suited to

damaging spells than support magic.

But she doesn't want Van to see her that way.

She'd used magic against Rit and Danan, so clearly, she wasn't concerned with

concealing her strength from people at large. Perhaps if she called upon destructive

spells too often, she'd be unable to maintain her present form.

That was the extent of my understanding of Lavender and Van.

I'd like to talk with Rit and form a plan.

Just then, Rit, who'd been staring out at the beach, shouted, "Red! There's one

seabogey left!"

"What?!" I exclaimed.

Van and I dashed over to Rit.

"What did you find?" I asked.

Rit motioned with her hand. "Do you see these tracks?"

"They're from a little earlier, before the battle."

"Yeah, and they lead this way before departing."

"There's a village not far in that direction."

"So one of them went to the village, but it came back, right?"

Rit nodded at Van's question.

"Right, one of them went to the village, returned here to gather its friends, and then

started back the way it came—"

"To take a child." There was a change in Van's expression… He was furious.

"Most likely, a child has already been taken. Upon seeing as much, the other seabogeys

would have set out for the village."

"Then we have to go help them at once!"

Van believed that whether an individual lived or died was the will of God, but children

were an exception that needed protecting.

Every creature was supposed to live and die in accordance with the role set for them

by their blessing. However, most kids hadn't connected with their blessings yet.

Without knowing one's role, it was impossible to live by it, so children needed to be

kept safe. That was a fundamental teaching of the church.

If a child unaware of their blessing was slain, it didn't feed the killer's blessing. If

Demis's will was killing to advance one's blessing, then harming children, who

couldn't contribute to another's blessing level, was the worst possible crime.

Actually, that wasn't written anywhere explicitly, but every theologian who studied

scripture agreed about that interpretation.

That dogma was part of why the church managed orphanages worldwide.

Kids were to be safeguarded; even Van agreed on that.

"We need to move…" I turned to Van. "Can you follow the tracks?"

"I can't…"

There was an unsteadiness in his voice.

He only took skills best suited to fighting. It was a natural choice, considering the

Hero's role and the church's teachings, which valued fighting and developing one's

blessing.

"Got it. Rit and I will handle this."

"Okay…" Van's shoulders slumped.

"The Hero shouldn't look like that." I patted his back with a smile. "The Hero is always

a symbol of hope. Just be glad that Rit and I can read the footprints. You can think on

this more when the danger's past."

"Right."

Van didn't have much experience with this form of adventuring. Maybe that was the

result of the warped Hero he'd created for himself.

"…I've got a bit of a bad feeling about this," I muttered.

"Huh?"

"No, it's nothing."

There was something about the Hero's impulses and Van's personality that didn't

quite line up.

I had seen Ruti's earliest days with the Hero blessing. Naturally, her kind and adorable

personality hadn't been created by the Hero's impulses, but still, it felt odd that this

second Hero blessing would come to someone with Van's disposition.

"Hey, Van." Lavender tugged at his ear.

"What is it?"

"You just need to find a creature shaped like one of them, right?"

"You mean like a seabogey?"

"Mhm. I can find it."

"Really?!"

"Of course. I'd never lie to you, Van!"

Lavender's eyes sparkled. Clearly, she was overjoyed to be useful to Van. Perhaps she'd

been frustrated that Rit had offered more support during the fight.

"Amazing. You can locate a seabogey from far away?"

"Yup. I know every living creature the wind touches," she responded confidently.

So that's it. She senses things using the wind.

The way Lavender spoke suggested she could differentiate between humans and

seabogeys on a general level, but needed to know an individual's specific shape to

recognize them.

Having an archfay-level fairy as a comrade isn't fair. That would have been so convenient

on our journey…

"Okay, Van… and the rest of you! Follow me!"

"Yeah, let's go help as fast as we can!"

Van ran off after Lavender, who flew through the air.

The rest of us hurried along behind the Hero and his fairy.

"Hey, Red." Danan, who'd kept silent until now, came up beside me and whispered in

my ear. "Now we know what Lavender can do. Seems like something we can deal with,

too."

"Yeah."

"How far ahead have you got this all plotted out? Damn, I'm gettin' flashbacks to your

Gideon days."

"I'm hoping this'll just be a one-time thing…"

Honestly, I already wanted to stop with these tense negotiations. We had to do the best

we could for the kidnapped child, though. I'd discussed the possibility of a kid being

taken beforehand with Rit and had asked her to investigate the tracks once the fighting

was over.

Using an abduction as an opening to further my agenda with Van was rough on my

heart now that I was Red.

"When this is over, let's relax in the bath together."

"Rit… Yeah, I'd like to take it easy a bit."

Just a little more effort to ensure our slow life is safe.

At best, our odds were fifty-fifty that the kid was still alive.

It all hinged on whether the seabogey had decided to eat the child immediately or

wring more terror out of them.

"Boo… hoo…"

From the depths of an ocean-carved cave, there was a faint, hoarse voice mixing with

the sounds of the waves.

Ordinary people wouldn't have been familiar with the noise, but none of us were

ordinary.

All right.

I gave the signal and looked at Van to tell him to move in.

"Van…!"

Unfortunately, he leaped forward before I gave the word. His hand reached for his

sword hilt as he charged into the dark.

"He doesn't have the Night Vision skill! Lavender!"

"I know! Don't give me orders!"

Lavender immediately cast a spell.

"Wisp!"

An orb of light as bright as a lantern flew off after Van.

We hurriedly gave chase.

""Wah-hah-hah.""

There were two seabogeys. Van was charging at one, and the other hid in the shadow

of a boulder. Normally, he would have noticed it, but it was dark, and he was distracted

by anger.

Van's sword cleaved the first seabogey in half. And that's when the second lunged at

his back with fangs bared.

"Wah-hah…?!"

"Van! I told you not to fight assuming you'll be wounded!"

I hurled my sword to pierce the seabogey's torso through.

"Wah-hah-hah…"

With a final eerie laugh, the monster collapsed.

"Damn you!" Van thrust his sword into the seabogey to finish it off.

"Is the child safe?" I asked.

"Here!" Van rushed over to a little girl lying on the ground.

"This is horrible!" Rit gasped when she saw the girl illuminated by the magic light.

The poor child had been tortured, physically and mentally. Shock blinded her to our

presence. Her voice was hoarse; all she could manage was a painful, rasping breath.

"We can keep her alive, but my magic can't fully…" Rit's voice was tight.

"It's okay. Van's here," I said.

Van stowed his sword and placed his right hand on the girl's forehead.

"Healing Hands!" Van's body shone brightly.

The same skill could differ depending on the user. Ruti's Healing Hands had a warm,

gentle glow, but Van's was an intense gleam that stirred up life force.

"Ah… Ah…"

With her injuries mended, the girl suddenly found her voice.

"Waaaaaaaaaah!!!!" She cried as though to make up for all the tears she'd forgotten

before, and she clung to Van's chest.

The Hero looked unsure of what to do, and he could only manage to let the girl sob

while rubbing her back like a parent.

"Thank you very much! I don't know how we can possibly repay you!"

The girl's parents thanked us repeatedly.

"It's fine. We accepted a quest from the guild to slay the monsters. Helping her was

just part of our job," I replied, watching Van's expression out of the corner of my eye

all the while.

"It's the Hero's duty to save people. I don't require gratitude."

"Sir Hero… Lord Demis, thank you for sending the Hero to us!"

He brushed the parents off, as he did with all the people he helped. This time, however,

that coldness came off as humility to the parents, which only strengthened their

reverence for him.

"Sir Hero," the girl squeaked through her raw throat, looking up at Van. "Thank you."

"…No problem," Van answered gruffly, but he appeared far more human at that

moment than I'd ever seen him.

The next day, we gathered at a restaurant in the harbor district.

"Van what? That's… a rather sudden change. It's difficult to believe." Esta sounded

impressed as she ate her squid ink pasta.

Not that it meant much, but I couldn't imagine her eating squid ink pasta back when

she was Theodora.

Maybe that's just my imagination, though.

"Mmm, that's delicious."

She eagerly twirled another large bite onto her fork.

Beside her, Albert ate with similar gusto.

"Rit should have come, too. The pasta here is great."

"She and Danan are talking with Lavender right now."

"It's amazing that you actually spoke with Van, but it's just as impressive that Rit's

gotten Lavender to open up."

"She's using love as a common base to build on. Lavender apparently noticed she and

Van weren't as coordinated in battle as Rit and me. That's what they're discussing

now."

For Van and Lavender, the bottleneck was their limited worldviews—Divine Blessings

for Van and love for Lavender. Our goal was to convince them there was value in things

beyond those narrow fields.

Esta set her fork down. "It never seems to work."

"Hmm? What?"

"Just talking about myself. I've had plenty of opportunities to speak with Van and

Lavender on our travels. I never made an impact on their opinions, yet you both got

through to them so quickly. It's a bit of a strike to the ego."

So she's feeling a bit down about herself, huh?

I hadn't noticed while we adventured together, but Esta bottled up her discontent and

was quick to blame herself for any troubles. She'd cited her own lack of strength when

Ruti wasn't getting the help she needed, and she'd done the same when issues in our

party pushed us to the verge of dissolving the group.

Esta was an excellent warrior and cleric, but she had a habit of trying to resolve

everything alone.

I wanted to say something tactful to lift her spirits, but I was coming up short.

"But the current developments are all thanks to you, Lady Esta."

Before I thought up a reply, Albert chimed in.

"You think?"

"Yes, you were the one who sent me ahead to warn everyone about Van. Without that

decision, our situation would be very different. I think you should have a little

confidence in what you've achieved."

"H-hmm. I suppose… you're right."

"Red, Rit, and the others are taking care of things that you can't handle, and the

situation is far better than the worst case we feared."

Not bad, Albert.

"I—I see…"

"Please, don't put yourself down. You hide behind a mask and downplay your

accomplishments, but I know the lengths you've gone to for us to reach this point."

Albert's hero worship has undergone an interesting change.

"You two make a good combo." The remark came almost unconsciously. I couldn't help

myself.

Esta's cheeks flushed. "D-don't be silly! W-wait. I didn't mean it like that. He's a

perfectly suitable partner. Ah, don't look at me like that, Albert!"

This was going to give me heartburn.

"You're the one person I don't want to hear that from, Red!" At some point, Esta had

grown angry with me.

"Anyway…" Albert pursed his lips. "If love is the key for getting through to Lavender,

then it's no wonder it was difficult for Lady Esta."

"Mrgh, even I…"

"For someone of her level, most men are probably no better than a stone on the road,

and she doesn't have time to think much about love since she's so busy guiding the

Hero. Lavender just isn't the sort of problem she can deal with."

This guy… He's really taken his blockheadedness to a new level. He's even developed a

knack for speaking up at the worst moment.

At the very least, Esta seemed to calm down a bit.

"Shall we return to a more serious topic?"

"Yeah."

Her voice was clearly more subdued, but Albert didn't appear to notice.

"Looks like rough seas ahead. Good luck."

"I didn't ask you. But when this is all over, I'm coming to you for some advice."

I'd never imagined I'd have this conversation with Esta. Before I knew it, I was

laughing.

"Sheesh. We should be discussing Zoltan's lack of adventurers, not playing around…"

Esta wore a troubled look as she chided me, but there was a bit of happiness in her

eyes.

"All right. So Albert will handle the jobs that have piled up?" I said.

Esta nodded. "Yes."

"Will you two be okay splitting up? He's been helping you with a bunch of things, hasn't

he?"

"I won't be spending every waking moment on quests. I know Zoltan's adventurers.

I've distributed quests based on suitability and have been supporting parties on their

assignments. If there's anything a group can't handle, I'll deal with it myself."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? I'm surprised the Adventurers Guild is so willing to

cooperate."

"Indeed. I'm sure those in charge aren't happy letting a man who betrayed Zoltan

manage things, but… their desire not to rely on Van is evidently greater."

"He really is despised."

"His plan to brainwash everyone was kept quiet, but people know how poorly he

treated the mayor and the other higher-ups, and that he brought the dragons." Albert

shrugged. "It just means they'd rather have my help than Van's. Well, and my help is

free."

Albert had been granted amnesty for his crimes during the Devil's Blessing incident

in exchange for rendering services to the church for atonement. He was denied any

pay except for charitable donations.

"There's no denying my role in bringing harm to Zoltan, so I'm glad to be of use now."

Bighawk and Albert had fanned the flames to get people living in the slum of

Southmarsh to attempt a coup.

Albert had intended to turn Zoltan into a military dictatorship and lead an army to

join the Hero's party.

How ironic that now he was protecting Zoltan from the Hero.

You never know what's going to happen in life.

"My efforts should keep emergency quests from falling in your lap, so you can focus

on dealing with Van."

"That's a big help. I managed to turn the seabogey trouble into a lesson for Van, but

I've likely only got one more shot to get through to him," I said.

"From what I've heard, it seems like the things he saw on that quest shook him

substantially."

"Unfortunately, the pillar of his faith is rock solid, and the logic based on the scripture

is sturdy. The holy church is an organization greater than any country on this

continent. Its philosophy is nothing to make light of," I replied.

Theologians as far back as the earliest historical records had constructed the church's

ideologies to shift with the times and deal with heretics who turned their efforts

against the church's authority.

The beliefs Van had been immersed in while studying in the monastery, combined

with the Hero's mental fortitude, would surely straighten out his doubts before long.

I have to settle this with the next meeting.

"I have to make the final blow soon."

This was a siege, and the stronghold was on the verge of collapse. However, there was

a limit to my side's supplies. Should the next attack fail, there would be a counterattack

that would leave things in a dangerous spot.

"Ugh. This really is bad for the heart," I groused.

"Wasn't this normal back in the old days?" Esta remarked.

Back then, failure had meant the end. We'd come up against do-or-die scenarios while

fighting the demon lord's army all the time.

"Thinking back on it now, I really did some crazy stuff." I'd never admitted to it, but

there had been plenty of times when I'd lost hope. When we exited the bewitching

woods only to see the demon lord's army amassed before us, I was prepared to die.

"Rit told me how your eyes shone with confidence during the trouble in Loggervia,

and how you said you never attempted things you couldn't do."

"I just said I was confident the distraction would work. Admitting I thought I might die

would have weighed on Rit… and Ares."

"…True." After mention of that name, Esta shook her head and changed topics. "I will

keep on as I have been, working with Ljubo to convince Van. I haven't noticed much

change in Van, but Lavender's counterarguments have grown weaker lately. I guess

that's the result of Rit's efforts."

"If we can get Lavender onto our side on this, do you think we have a chance?" I asked.

"Is that what you're aiming for, Red?"

"Yeah, that would be best, but…"

"But?"

"Life can be strange. You never know what will happen."

"Indeed…"

At the very least, I knew I had to make preparations to protect our lives here.

"Welcome back, Big Brother."

Ruti greeted me from behind the counter when I returned to the shop.

"Thanks, Ruti. Is Rit not back yet?"

"Not yet."

There's still plenty of medicine on the shelves. After all the recent restocking, we should

be fine for a little while.

"I'm going to stick around the store for a bit. What about you? Going to go back to the

plantation?"

"No, I finished the work there this morning."

"Ah. I'll make sure there's enough dinner for you, too, then."

"Hooray." Ruti lifted her arms and cheered, a heartwarming display.

I stood next to her behind the counter.

"Shall we handle the customers together?"

"Mhm."

There weren't many visitors today, just a few looking for common medicines.

"You won't believe this, Red! Albert chose us for a quest!"

"We ordinarily wouldn't take this kind of job, but he said we'd be fine as long as we

had a Poison Resistance potion."

A D-rank party in high spirits stopped in for a quick purchase. They were the first

group in a stream of adventurers.

"Red! I need a bottle of cure potion!"

"Thunder Enchantment oil!"

"Three alkali bottles! Apparently, those will make it easy to deal with pseudodragon

slimes."

Evidently, Albert was giving advice to the parties he assigned on quests. As a result,

we were selling a lot of the more expensive potions for adventuring, which was good

for business.

He always did have the potential to be Zoltan's hero.

The man seemed satisfied with his current place, but I wondered what he might have

looked like holding his head high with pride as Zoltan's number one.

""Thanks for the purchase.""

Evening arrived quickly.

The rush of customers on their way home from work died down, leaving a bit of free

time before closing.

"I should take care of the cleaning now." I stepped away from the counter to get the

mop ready.

"Big Brother."

"What is it?"

"…Are you okay?" Ruti eyed me with concern.

"Hah-hah. You can tell, huh?"

"Mhm. You're really tired."

Van was a powerful enemy in more ways than raw strength. The church's backing was

his most dangerous quality.

"The cleaning."

"Hmm? Ah, yeah, I was getting to that."

"No, let's do it together," Ruti said, taking the cleaning supplies from the back. "It's

faster with two people. And more fun."

"I suppose so."

The two of us got to work.

"Go from front to rear."

We began by wiping away dust.

"You've really gotten pretty good at tidying the store," I remarked.

"Because I've helped out so many times."

During the winter, before Ruti moved to the plantation, she'd assisted around the shop

a lot. She'd picked up how to work at an apothecary back then, too, so there was no

problem with leaving her to watch the place alone. Similarly, she knew how to clean

up.

After dusting came sweeping, gathering up the trash with the broom before disposing

of it.

"I'll get the water."

"And I'll throw away the garbage."

We divided up the tasks and finished by mopping the floors.

"It's shiny clean."

"It goes quickly with the two of us, and it's easier to do a better job."

No other customers came by that day. A nice little break like that was welcome on

occasion. It allowed me to enjoy a pleasant moment with Ruti.

"I'm back."

"Hey! I'm here to eat."

Danan came back with Rit.

Dinner for four, then?

"All right, shall I make something a bit fancier?"

"Oh? What have you got in mind?" Rit asked happily.

"Diced steak and dried shellfish grilled in butter, a tomato and cheese salad, cream

soup, and an apple tart for dessert."

"Ohhh! Sounds great! But that sounds like a lot of work."

I hadn't prepared anything, and starting from scratch would take a while.

"Let me help. I can prepare the ingredients."

"Yeah, I'll pitch in, too! I can get the oven warm with my magic."

"Then I'll go out and buy whatever you're missing."

Ruti, Rit, and Danan all offered to help.

"I know you like cooking for us, but sometimes we want to assist when you're tired,"

Rit said.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

We all shared a smile.

Yeah, today's a good day.

The next day, at Zoltan's Adventurers Guild, Albert read over the quest sheet in his

hand.

"A child has been missing since yesterday. Not a lot of information, but there are no

signs of dangerous monsters. Did she just get lost in the woods, or was she kidnapped

by goblins, or…? A D-rank party could handle this, but…"

Albert scanned the map, double-checking the area around the village where the client

lived.

"A farming village near the river mouth. It provides grain and such to the fishing

settlements near the sea… The problem is, that's pretty close to where the seabogeys

showed up."

The seabogeys ought to be dead, but there was no guarantee none had survived. And

sending a half-baked party of adventurers against seabogeys was a recipe for disaster.

"But considering the reward, I can't assign a skilled party."

Albert considered the worst possible scenario. An abduction did no major harm to the

whole village. The client was the girl's father—a farmer—and the reward was the

meager sum he could muster. It was only enough to hire a low-tier D-rank party or a

solo adventurer.

"Guess I have to take this one."

Judging that it was best if he dealt with it, Albert took action.

Albert cut a different figure from his old, heroic one.

Now he sported only practical armor with no excessive ornaments. His sword was

sharp, but not showy, and the weapon was one-handed, so he could wield it. Although

Albert's prosthetic hand was of an exquisite design, not immediately recognizable as

false, and able to grip basic tools, it wasn't strong enough to brandish a weapon.

Unlike Danan, who was a veritable monster of martial arts, Albert couldn't continue

practicing the same combat style he'd employed with both hands. Still, his blessing

level had gone up from all the battles he'd fought alongside Esta during their travels.

He'd managed to develop fighting strength equal to, or possibly even greater than, that

of the man he used to be.

"A pair of ogres, huh?"

Albert stood before the two monsters in the woods. Each held a tree trunk like a club

in its thick arms.

"Hmph." Albert drew his sword with his left hand. "If this is all, then I really could have

sent someone else."

"Guoooo!!!"

He dashed in as one of the ogres howled furiously. It swung its club at the small

creature that dared to run at it. However, the little thing did not have its skull cracked

and brain splattered; it raced past the ogre's attack.

"Guo?!"

The second one frantically swung its club.

"Too late!"

Albert disappeared, and the second ogre's club slammed into the first's chest.

The first ogre was wobbly from the blow, while the second was agitated over striking

its partner. And while they were distracted, a blade flashed twice.

""Guooooo?!""

The fight was over.

The pair of monsters collapsed and stopped breathing while Albert cleaned his sword.

"Now, about the child."

He sheathed his blade and looked around. He sensed something nearby and

approached it cautiously, ready to draw at any moment.

"Roar!"

There was a shrill voice, and a small dragon with butterfly wings flew out of the

undergrowth and pounced on Albert.

"Mrgh!"

He reflexively swatted it down.

"Kyuuuu…"

"Ah, apologies. That was a reflex." Albert hurried to check on the fairy dragon. Its eyes

were spinning as it lay on the ground.

"Kurukururu!"

A girl emerged from the bushes.

"I'm all right…," the fairy dragon said, rising unsteadily on its four legs. It quickly

hurried between Albert and the girl, as though to protect her.

"Wait. I'm an adventurer sent to look for that girl by her parents," Albert said.

"My parents sent you?!"

Albert quickly tried to explain the situation.

"But the forest is dangerous!" argued the fairy dragon, its round eyes still spinning as

it scanned around.

Albert chuckled a little at the adorable gesture.

"It's okay. If you're worried about the ogres, then I took care of them."

"!!!" The fairy dragon jumped into the air and spun around. Albert was relieved that

things had ended before the girl came to harm.

"I was a bit worried when I saw monster tracks. I'm glad you're safe."

Unlike seabogeys, ogres weren't especially powerful.

A D-rank party could have handled this in Albert's stead. However, ogres didn't wait

to eat children the way seabogeys did. Typically, when a kid went missing in woods

inhabited by ogres, they were presumed dead.

Albert looked at the fairy dragon. "You saved her, didn't you?"

A young girl who had yet to connect with her blessing had managed to survive with

ogres around. It was undoubtedly because the little fairy dragon had kept her hidden.

Despite their size, fairy dragons were a type of fay, and they could cast illusions. Ogres

were highly susceptible to such magic, owing to their low intelligence. That was how

a relatively weak fay had managed to protect the girl.

It would have died had it come under attack, though.

Albert took inspiration from the fairy dragon's courage.

"Right! Kurukururu saved me!" the girl proclaimed.

The fairy dragon frantically covered the child's mouth to silence her. "Shh! Shh!"

Albert smiled at that. "The ogres are gone, so it's okay."

"Not that!" The fairy dragon shook its head fiercely. "There is still something scary in

the forest! Everyone is scared!"

"What?"

The fairy dragon's reaction clearly suggested something worse than ogres stalked this

forest. Cold sweat formed on Albert's body. His adventurer instincts told him great

danger approached.

"It was around here."

He heard a voice.

An intense pressure beat against Albert from behind. Hand on the grip of his sword,

Albert turned slowly.

"Sir Hero…"

It was Van the Hero and the fairy Lavender.

"Albert, you saved the child."

Van wore a bright smile, yet his voice was heavy with murder. It was enough to terrify

anyone.

What is this? Is this Van the Hero? I thought I was about to lock eyes with a dragon!

Albert had ridden on the Vendidad with Esta.

He believed Van to be an inhumane Hero, but had never been frightened by his mere

presence.

It's like the first time I encountered Ms. Ruti… A force like Ruti the Hero before she took

Devil's Blessing.

After getting caught up with a contract demon, Albert had caught a glimpse of Ruti the

Hero.

The next day, she'd taken the airship and left Theodora and the others behind. Ares

and Theodora had chased after, using Albert as a catalyst for a locator spell. Albert

recalled it all so clearly, particularly that first encounter with Ruti.

Being in the presence of a being capable of effortlessly ending his life was terrifying.

If the Hero had wished to kill Albert, Albert would have perished without a chance to

resist.

That his destiny was not his own to control in that moment had brought a second wave

of horror.

"Albert, is the child all right?"

"…She is."

It took a moment for Albert to find his reply. Fear dulled his thoughts. He tried to keep

the gears in his mind turning while desperately searching for courage somewhere in

his heart.

"That's good."

"Yes, sir. All that's left is to take the child back to her village."

Then the quest will be complete. He's scarier than usual, but there isn't anything left to

fight.

The threat was gone.

"I was going to take this girl to her village. What will you do, sir?"

Van looked absent-minded, yet death still radiated from him as he replied. "The source

of the evil must be slain first."

"That's right. Van came to punish evil," Lavender added.

"The source?"

The unease building in Albert intensified, and sweat gathered on his brow. Somewhere

in the back of his mind, he knew this was about to get ugly.

"That fairy. It was the one who led the child into the forest."

Van pointed his sword artlessly at the fairy dragon.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry…," it apologized with its head lowered.

The girl stood in front of the fairy dragon. "Wait! It's my fault. Please don't scold

Kurukururu."

It was a heartwarming scene, but Albert also understood just how perilous the

situation was. This wouldn't end with a chiding. Van intended to kill the fairy dragon.

"I imagine the fairy dragon did invite the girl into the forest, but didn't mean to harm

her. It only wished to play. The fairy dragon risked its life to protect the girl from

dangerous ogres." Albert did his best to fill Van in, despite his fear.

Ogres couldn't lure a girl away from her home. Albert knew the fairy dragon was

responsible for that part. Fay calling children out to play wasn't unheard of. Van's

monastery upbringing had surely afforded him an excellent education, so he must

have seen records of such events.

"There is no denying the child was in a dangerous situation. Evil must be destroyed."

Van raised his sword.

What is this?

Albert was hit by a powerful urge to run.

This was not the Van with blind faith in the Hero and unwavering strength. This boy

was unsteady—insecure.

It was a fresh kind of terror. This was the unyielding horror of humanity's strongest

blessing, the Hero, running rampant.

"S-Sir Hero, please calm yourself! A fairy dragon is not a wicked monster that harms

humans. It's a type of fay, like Lavender!"

"Using me to beg for its life?"

Albert looked pleadingly at Lavender, but she only responded with amusement and

made no effort to intervene. She had no interest in assisting her fellow fairy.

"Albert, I'll wait ten seconds, so move. You will get hit if you stay where you are."

Van's voice was flat. Albert understood there was no room to negotiate. He could hear

his own teeth chattering.

And then he shouted.

"Run! I'll stop him here!"

"You can't! You'll die, mister!"

"Just go!!!"

At Albert's desperate cry, the fairy dragon turned and fled with all its strength.

Van's eyes fell upon Albert. "It doesn't make sense. You're so scared you've forgotten

to draw your sword."

Albert was stunned. He truly had forgotten to prepare himself to fight. He unsheathed

his weapon slowly.

"Sir Hero, please stow your blade… That fairy only wanted to play with the child."

"Evil can't be forgiven, regardless of intent."

Albert's mind raced.

I said I would stop him, but is there anything I can actually do to stall the Hero? No, there

isn't.

The culmination of everything he'd built over the course of his life likely wasn't even

enough to survive a single blow. It wouldn't be enough for the fairy dragon to escape.

"Sir Hero, can you not at least wait until Cardinal Ljubo or Lady Esta arrives? It should

be fine to decide after hearing your comrades' thoughts."

The only recourse was to stall by talking.

"Do you know that creature?" Van questioned, ignoring Albert's words.

Something was off. Van appeared on the cusp of some manner of significant change.

Albert couldn't glean much beyond that, however. All he could do was delay the Hero

with words.

"No, this is the first time I've met it."

Don't stop talking. You have to say something else.

"There were rumors of fairies in the nearby villages, but I never put much faith in them

until I saw one today. You know, they supposedly hate the Wall at the End of the World."

"…"

Van showed no interest in Albert's desperate story.

"Albert, do you possess some hidden strength that you believe will allow you to defeat

me?"

The two were both in one-sided conversations.

But I can't stop talking…

"I don't. I'm not a hero like you and the others."

"But your blessing is the Champion."

"I have a poor affinity with my blessing… I was unable to become a hero."

"Then why are you trying to die here?"

This is the end.

Albert exhaled hard to vent the terror of death pooling in him.

"Hah… Good question. I'm so scared I might vomit."

"Exactly. Your blessing isn't compelling you to stand in my way, and it's not because of

friendship with that fairy or a lack of fear, either. You don't seem to have a death wish,

so why?"

Why?

Albert had already asked himself that question, and the answer was obvious.

"Because I'm one of the Hero's comrades."

"What do you mean?"

"Even if I am no hero myself, I am still one of the Hero's allies. I cannot stand by while

an innocent life is taken. If I ran, I'd be unworthy as a member of the Hero's party. I'm

the only one here who can fight, so I will."

Van's expression changed for the first time.

"What is this feeling? I don't understand it." Van looked down, the hand around his

sword grip trembling. "I don't understand it, but I think I want to kill you."

Van looked at Albert. He was looking not at the Champion blessing, but at Albert the

person—an enemy.

"Martial Art: Holy Blade!"

The vertical slash carried a dreadful power, but it was a straightforward attack.

"Martial Art: Block Tackle!"

Albert's response was a defense technique that matched an opponent's attack, then

knocked them back.

His sword was plain, but it was a quality piece that Esta had picked out. It could

withstand a blow from a giant, yet the Hero's skill shattered it.

"Gh!"

Albert felt a searing pain in his side.

His response saved him from immediate death, but Van's sword still reached his

internal organs.

I'll die from blood loss without magic, but I'm still alive for the moment.

"Raaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!!" Albert roared as he rammed into Van.

They both knew that Albert's strength wasn't enough to move the Hero.

Thus, Van made no effort to dodge.

"What?!" Van exclaimed. He hadn't expected Albert's follow-up.

Albert clung to the Hero's body. He wasn't grappling with the boy in an attempt to

sweep his legs or trying to pin his joints. Albert simply wrapped his arms around Van's

back and held on as firmly as he could.

"What are you doing?!"

"You can't chase the fairy dragon with me on you!"

"!"

Van tried to break free.

"Urgggggghhhh!!!!"

"Get off!"

For all Van's might, he couldn't tear Albert away.

Albert gripped with more than his hands. He bit into the edge of Van's armor, blood

dripping from his mouth as he fought against the Hero's power with his whole body.

"Why would you go so far?"

Van already knew the answer: because Albert was one of the Hero's comrades.

He raised his sword.

"Urghhhhh!!!"

A muffled scream rose out of Albert's throat. Van's holy sword had pierced his back.

"Let go."

Albert refused.

"Let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go,

let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go."

Van stabbed him over, and over, and over again.

Albert's consciousness dimmed under the weight of the searing pain and icy death.

Yet his hands would not yield. This was the only way he could stop the Hero.

As long as I don't let go… I can still fight.

Albert was the Hero's comrade. That was why he could fight.

"I'm the Hero! Why are you doing this?! For the sake of a single fairy?!"

Albert wished he could answer, but he lacked the energy to speak.

You aren't the Hero I'm talking about. I mean the Hero that Lady Esta searches for, the

one she's trying to guide. The Hero who has yet to appear… If she intends to be that Hero's

ally, then I have to be a man worthy of being an ally, too, if I'm going to stay with her.

Albert couldn't convey that feeling as he endured the pain, but he could persist. He

fought back death, hoping to stall for even a moment longer.

"Dammit!"

For the first time in his life, Van cursed.

For a boy who accepted every outrage and tribulation as the will of God, it was as good

as admitting defeat. And that disturbed his already troubled heart further.

"Van!" Lavender shouted, but Van saw nothing other than Albert.

"Agh…"

Esta's spear pierced the Hero's neck.

"You fought well," Esta whispered as she held Albert's body.

The strength faded from Albert's arms, and Esta carried him away. She gently lay him

on the ground, and, gathering as much magic power as she could, she formed a spell.

"Regenerate."

The advanced magic possessed an effect similar to Healing Hands. Mortal wounds

beyond the power of ordinary spells began to close.

"Albert, I am truly glad to have met you."

Esta conjured another spell to summon a spirit drake.

"Grrrr."

The creature used its fangs dexterously to place both Albert, and then the young girl

who was standing there petrified, onto its back.

"Young miss," Esta said to the crying child. The poor girl had been paralyzed with

terror while witnessing Albert's vain struggle, too frightened to even run.

"Could you please look after him? He's a very special person to me."

"Okay…"

The girl nodded while tears ran down her cheeks. She understood that this adult

woman, who was likely very strong, was counting on her. The girl couldn't help but

cry, but she knew she had to respond to this woman.

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

The spirit drake took flight.

While that was happening, Van healed his injury with Healing Hands and stood back

up.

"Esta."

Van looked stunned.

"The fairy dragon lured that child out into the forest, so I decided it needed to die."

"Van."

Esta leveled her spear at him.

"Gh!!"

Clang!

Weapons met and sparks flew.

"Esta…"

"Did you think I wouldn't be angry?"

Esta's attack had been meant to kill, and Van was shocked to realize as much.

"I'm livid." Esta employed the many spear techniques she'd honed against Van, not

holding anything back.

"Esta!"

She'd always been sincere about helping Van become the Hero, and while they often

disagreed, he respected her for that.

And now Esta was an enemy. Van suddenly realized that he'd never heeded her advice.

For the first time, something heavy weighed on his heart.

"Unease? Me? Even though my blessing is the Hero?"

Van wondered if he'd made a mistake somewhere along the way. The thought wormed

its way deep into his mind. The Hero, who should've been incapable of faltering, was

doubting himself.

"Van! What's wrong?!" Lavender cried.

The boy's sword was passive and unmotivated, a far cry from his usual fighting style.

The Van who relied on Healing Hands and fought unafraid of being wounded was

nowhere to be seen as he shrank back.

"It seems you aren't in your usual form, but I won't go easy on you."

Esta understood killing Van would cause a huge problem, yet she couldn't stop herself.

She'd never felt like this before. Feelings raged within her, unbound and uncontrollable,

yet her spear had never moved with such deadly precision.

It jabbed calmly and cleanly with the simple intent to kill.

Esta was overpowering the Hero.

I intended to be the Hero's ally, but it seems I'm fated to be the Hero's enemy.

Esta's spear shot forward, tearing across Van's body.

"Ngh!"

He stumbled backward as blood flew.

"This is it."

Esta's weapon took aim at the Hero's heart.

"Get away from Van!!!" Lavender screamed, and lightning bolts came crashing down

toward Esta.

"Oh?"

Esta stuck her spear into the ground and cast a defensive spell. A moment later, the

lightning dissipated, and Esta stood without a scratch.

"Using the spear as a lightning rod?! Pretty tricky for someone who's lost it!!!"

"What about you? I thought you didn't want to get serious in front of Van?"

"Shut up! I always hated you!"

"A magic duel, huh? Fine."

Esta was maintaining the spirit drake, so summoning magic was off-limits for the time

being. Spells were influenced by a user's mental state. And Esta was confident that, at

present, she could wield attack magic that would rival Ares's.

"Wither and crumble! Haboob!"

"Holy light, thy name is death, become a blade that reaps mine enemy! Death!"

Lavender unleashed sandstorm magic that tore at the flesh while Esta completed

powerful death magic.

Red sand and white death clashed, spreading destruction all around them.

Both were feats of magic that Lavender and Esta wouldn't ordinarily use.

While maintaining her magic, Esta also readied her spear in her right hand.

Meanwhile, Lavender gathered spirits around her so that she might use her true

strength. This was something different from magic.

"What… do I want? Hero within me, please tell me." Seeing two allies locked in battle,

Van could only question himself.

Defeat Esta? Protect Lavender? Stop the battle? Kill them both?

Communicating via impulse, the Hero blessing in Van told him to "Just fight."

Fight? Why? For whom?

No one here needed the Hero. But the Hero had to fight. Fight and grow their blessing.

Fight even greater evil. And die.

As he watched Lavender and Esta battle, Van figured it out.

"I understand."

Van stood and held his sword.

"I understand. I… am angry."

Van didn't comprehend why, but he'd been angry since that day with the seabogeys.

And now that he was aware of the feeling, all that remained was to act upon it.

"Hrahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!" He roared, leaping at Esta.

"Come, then!!!" Esta parried his sword with her spear.

"Lavender! With me!"

"Van?! Understood!"

Van had cooperated with his party members before. However, this was the first time

he had truly fought in sync with a comrade. He aimed strikes at Esta after Lavender's

magic created openings, and he guarded the fairy so she had time to cast. Van

displayed tremendous growth in this battle.

"So this is the Hero. But it matters not!!!" Esta didn't cede so much as a single step,

withstanding Van and Lavender's teamwork. "No slipshod combination will work on

me!!!"

The battle raged, with neither side relinquishing anything.

Trees were mowed down, and the creatures of the forest fled. The land cried out as

the greatest powers on the continent clashed.

And before long…

"That's enough."

A wall of water erupted between the two sides.

There was a thundering crash, and Esta, Van, and Lavender were forced to fall back to

avoid being caught in the flood.

"Undine!" Lavender glared up in the air.

A woman with a translucent figure hovered there. Undine, archfay of water, peered

down at the three.

"Cooled your head?"

Van and Lavender watched Undine with narrowed eyes.

Esta, however, exhaled and lowered her spear. "Yes, I've calmed down."

"Esta!"

Van shouted at her for daring to quit the fight. He wanted to keep going.

"No, the battle is over… Look."

Esta's shoulders relaxed.

The surrounding forest was in ruins.

"As the representative of all who live in this land, I will not allow you to battle here

anymore," Undine declared.

"Hah! A mere water archfay thinks she can get in my way?!" Lavender flew up into the

air to stare down Undine. "Don't act all high and mighty just because you're some

primordial being!"

"And I suppose it is only natural a manifestation of destruction such as yourself would

think herself superior. I admit, seeing you in a more adorable form is quite pleasant,

though."

"Youuuu!"

"Oh dear, what a waste of such a pretty face. Are you that scared of your beloved Van

discovering your true identity?"

"I'll kill you!"

Lavender began to work a spell.

"Huh?"

A javelin pierced her body before her work was complete, however.

"Ghhk! Ghah…!"

"Lavender!"

Van caught the fairy as she fell.

"This isn't…"

"Yes, that body's death isn't enough to kill you. But if it goes, so does your adorable

figure."

"…!"

Lavender's eyes were bloodshot, and she attempted another spell.

"Gah?!"

A second javelin penetrated the barrier of wind Lavender had created around herself

and Van, piercing Lavender's body and Van's hand.

"Could it be… her?"

Van felt it.

This was the work of the girl who'd defeated him. The one he'd had a divine revelation

about. The one he was duty bound to kill as the Hero.

Van couldn't sense her. Undoubtedly, she was skilled at concealing her presence. He

was certain she was somewhere in the direction the javelin had come from, though.

She had to be that way, just out of sight.

I want to fight!!!!!!

"Van…!"

Lavender wheezed painfully in the boy's hand, covered in her blood and his. Van

peered at her, felt the warmth of her body, and then slowly opened his mouth.

"Understood. We'll withdraw."

Van sheathed his sword.